Tracker

[mickmichael]

Am I right in thinking there is a 'device' hidden on my car that the GPS can pick up if my car is stolen? as I keep getting that change the battery message, and it's not the two car key fobs, or the two unused fobs in our house for the tracker?

[Neil1911]

I'm no expert, I didn't subscribe for the tracker but I'm confident it's not "a device hidden in the car". Built in, part of the PCM or phone prep even, more like although that's not to say your car hasn't had an after market tracker added. Where does that message appear? I expect someone with, or having had, a 2015 Macan like yours will throw more light on it.

[On-Track]

"Tracker" is a propriety system which does indeed have a device hidden in the car. Porsche Vehicle Tracking System (PVTS) is operated in conjunction with Vodaphone (previously Cobra) but how or where it's wired in I have no idea but it is pre-installed on all Macans.

In answer to the OP's question, depending on how close to the fob's storage location in your house the car is, it's possible it has been picking up a signal from them. Clearly you have not subscribed to the Vodaphone service or you would have been getting phone calls from Vodaphone every time you drove the car. It's always possible that a previous owner has had one or two calls before convincing Vodaphone that he/she no longer owns the car. As I've always had PVTS active on both my Macans, I can't answer the question of what happens if the system is not activated. If another forum member can't answer your question I'd suggest you speak to an OPC and ask them how to deactivate any warnings.

[pstrat]

Here is an alternative solution which you could employ:

Get an Apple Airtag. Hide it in the car.

It's so small you could easily tuck it away somewhere with nobody knowing about it and hence track the car on your phone through Find my Friends.

Just a thought!

[Deleted User 4752]

Here is an alternative solution which you could employ:

Get an Apple Airtag. Hide it in the car.

It's so small you could easily tuck it away somewhere with nobody knowing about it and hence track the car on your phone through Find my Friends.

Just a thought!

I have an airtag in mine, it works well. But can someone confirm the point of the actual Porsche Tracker? I don’t have it but can always see the location of my car through the app, and with geofencing turned on I also get an alert when the car moves more than a few yards. Apart from getting a phone call at spurious times of the day when the system has a senior moment, what are the actual benefits to getting the full blown tracker? There doesn’t seem to be a whole heap that the app doesn’t do for free ( at least in the first year )

[pstrat]

Here is an alternative solution which you could employ:

Get an Apple Airtag. Hide it in the car.

It's so small you could easily tuck it away somewhere with nobody knowing about it and hence track the car on your phone through Find my Friends.

Just a thought!

I have an airtag in mine, it works well. But can someone confirm the point of the actual Porsche Tracker? I don’t have it but can always see the location of my car through the app, and with geofencing turned on I also get an alert when the car moves more than a few yards. Apart from getting a phone call at spurious times of the day when the system has a senior moment, what are the actual benefits to getting the full blown tracker? There doesn’t seem to be a whole heap that the app doesn’t do for free ( at least in the first year )

Yeh that's a good question.

For me, as long as you can track the car on your phone, which the airtag allows, seems like the fancy Porsche one isn't offering much that justifies the price premium.

[pmg]

Here is an alternative solution which you could employ:

Get an Apple Airtag. Hide it in the car.

It's so small you could easily tuck it away somewhere with nobody knowing about it and hence track the car on your phone through Find my Friends.

Just a thought!

I have an airtag in mine, it works well. But can someone confirm the point of the actual Porsche Tracker? I don’t have it but can always see the location of my car through the app, and with geofencing turned on I also get an alert when the car moves more than a few yards. Apart from getting a phone call at spurious times of the day when the system has a senior moment, what are the actual benefits to getting the full blown tracker? There doesn’t seem to be a whole heap that the app doesn’t do for free ( at least in the first year )

The alleged extra value of the Porsche tracker is that Vodaphone ring you if your car is moved without a tag in the car. Personally due to being able to see the car location in My Porsche (for which after sub due I am willing to pay sub) I do not think the full Vodaphone service is worth the extra.

Has anyone found a way of turning off the flat battery warnings for the tags when not subscribed to service? I keep one tag in car and have to change battery about every 18 months to avoid warnings. I have not come across anything in PCM that turns these off

[andreas]

Has anyone found a way of turning off the flat battery warnings for the tags when not subscribed to service? I keep one tag in car and have to change battery about every 18 months to avoid warnings. I have not come across anything in PCM that turns these off

Take the tag out of the car and leave it in your house.